Date: 8/20/25 2:37 pm From: eBird alert via groups.io <alert.ebird...> Subject: [slocobirding] [eBird Alert] San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert
*** Species Summary:
- King Eider (7 reports)
- Semipalmated Sandpiper (4 reports)
- Least Bittern (1 report)
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Thank you for subscribing to the <daily> San Luis Obispo County Rare Bird Alert. The report below shows observations of rare birds in San Luis Obispo County. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN36231 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated.
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King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 19, 2025 18:00 by The Spotting Twohees
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268342988 - Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing bird found 8/17
Swam into the Oyster Farm area at 6:30 pm. Preened for a while and then went for another swim as the sun was going down. Sloping forehead to bill. Very worn wing feathers. Brownish overall with white on wing feathers/shafts."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 19, 2025 07:30 by Jacqueline Knowlton
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268336025 - Comments: "Continuing bird. The brown duck with notably sloped forehead/bill was resting on one of the oyster farm buoys. The bill was small and black, and it appeared to have a a grin. The wing-edges bore a white stripe, and there was a white mark on either side of the gape. Many thanks to Andrew Fleming for finding the bird with his scope today and kindly inviting me to look through it."
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 18, 2025 17:20 by Norman Pillsbury
- Pasadena Park Beach, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.8440733&<ll...>,-120.8440733 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268338063 - Media: 8 Photos
- Comments: "Brown and buffy brown breast. Medium or small head sloping to a brown bill, faint light mark over eye, molting, fairly prominent white on left wing. Located on raft strips in oyster farm. Distant shots (1380 ft into the sun). Found by Yan and O'Kelly. Great catch!"
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Aug 19, 2025 07:44 by Tom Edell
- Cayucos Pier, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.9069453&<ll...>,-120.9069453 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268274192 - Media: 1 Video, 2 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing juvenile. From pier, scoped foraging along the edge of the Cayucos Creek lagoon with a juvenile Western Sandpiper. From the pier I suspected it was a Semipalmated because it was small than the Western Sandpiper and picking food from surface rather than probing like the Western. After leaving the pier, I met Marlin H. who had last seen the Semi foraging on the beach."
Least Bittern (Botaurus exilis) (1)
- Reported Aug 20, 2025 08:10 by Anonymous eBirder
- Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo, California
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&<q...>,-120.6903817&<ll...>,-120.6903817 - Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S268467819 - Comments: "Male (young male?) seen and heard in reeds, south lake, from Prefumo Creek Mouth. I’d been hearing the call my last few outings here, but it had been more distant. Today I heard the call much closer: “Kyaakakakakak!” It called once, and then the search was on. I finally spotted a tiny orange bittern, a bit larger than a female grackle, facing south from distant island reeds. It perched for a few minutes, where I noted several fieldmarks, then it flew across the channel into reeds on the south bank. The bird appears to possibly be a young male, though aging the bird proves difficult. When it flew, it had white underwings and long black outer primaries and secondaries. Its wings were otherwise bright orange. Its crown was blackish, and its back was orange to rusted brown. Its neck and chin was striped with white and orange, and the lower belly was white. Its sides, and neck flanks were orange. The bill had dark and orange patches, though when the bird flew the bill appeared more orange overall. Patches of yellow surrounded the eyes and lores. Distant photos and maybe a vid still."
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